


To Protect and trust

by Lady_hyena



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Non-Sexual Age Play
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 16:57:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9394577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_hyena/pseuds/Lady_hyena
Summary: After an intensly disturbing case Ian intends to lie low and deal on the way he stops to see his friend the innocent and wholey good professor. However he finds Charlie sick sobbing and with a red mark on his cheek. Affected by the case and Charlie's state he picks up the professor and takes him to his hidden cabin.





	

Ian had seen some shit in his life. His childhood had been no picnic especially after his drunk deadbeat of a dad had kicked him out onto the streets. His ability and willingness to do anything to complete a mission had ensured him the harder nastier targets, and he had hunted down people he wouldn't be generous enough to call human for the FBI but this last case had gotten to him, he could feel his calm zen and it was ready to shatter. He had requested and was quickly granted time off. Time he intended to spend at his hide hole a comfortable cabin outside of L.A. in the middle of the woods but close enough to a town for convenience. He had stopped by L.A. to fill up on gas and other supplies. He fully intended to spend a few weeks by himself and either make use of his home made firing range or indulge in his pretence until he was sure he was ready to return to duty. As he drove through the dark streets he realised he was passing Calsci and a familiar car was parked in the lot. He could use seeing a friendly face right now. He pulled into the lot and made his way to the professor's office a route he remembered when he had come to thank him not only for helping to prove his innocence but for pulling what must have been heavy strings to get him out so early before his hearing. He hated being trapped with a passion. It was a trained habit of his to notice security and cameras and avoid them and he allowed himself to admit that he was more on edge than useful. Comming to the professor's office he didn't bother knocking just let himself in. He expected to find his friend engrossed in work covering his blackboard in chalk voodoo. He did not expect to see no one nor did he expect to hear sobbing. He traced the crying to behind a standing blackboard where he found his friend leaning against the wall on the floor his eyes closed, one hand clutching his cellphone. His eyes had large bags under them and he was skinnier and paler than the last time he had seen the professor. A chesty rough cough made its way from his chest, Ian knew sickness and a flu like this took weeks to reduce someone like this and then Charlie turned his head and Ian felt the very last cord of his control snap. On Charlie's cheek was a red mark, someone had hit him. This innocent had been left to suffer his illness and been struck. Where was his family? Why had they not taken care of and protected the vulnerable genius who was too good for his own good. It occurred to him that maybe his family had done this. He'd seen what the job could do to agents and despite Epps loving his brother he was still a point of frustration. Then there was Alan Epps, he didn't know much about the old man except he was old fashioned and expected his sons to give him grandchildren and still treated the house as though it were his own. Of course there was also the fiancé whom Ian had never liked, she was too clingy and there was also a slight jealous look in her eyes. Being the B team had to grate. Ian realised it could well have been any of them and that the sweet innocent professor was not safe.  
'I could keep him safe. I could take care of him.' His mind said. 'Id have someone real to look after. There's been enough innocence hurt I'd protect him.' With no further thought to what he was doing Ian picked up the still crying and unaware Charlie. Ian's detirmination grew when all the mathematician did was curl into him and clutch his shirt. 'I could have been anybody but this sweet professor is too naive too trusting to be left alone.' He carried his precious cargo out of the school careful not to be seen by eyes or cameras. He placed him in the passenger side and drove off with Charlie's head resting on his leg. The moisture he felt from Charlie's tears spurring him on. He drove straight out of L.A. up into the hills off road to his cabin. Despite the rough terrain Charlie didn't even stir. For a moment he was worried that Charlie may be too ill and in need of a doctor but when he put his hand on the professor's forehead the fever didn't feel out of control.  
'I can take care of him, make him better.' He carried Charlie out of the pickup into the room he had used to pretend. Ian had long since accepted his obsession with trust. He knew shrinks would say it was to do with his father's many cruelties but he didn't want to think about that he just wanted someone to trust him but who he was and the word sniper made that impossible. On one of his first covert assignments in the military had been to take out a sheik. The man had many wives whom each indulged his many fantasies but one caught his attention. She had behaved as a child and there appeared to be no sexual component, the trust she had shown interested him. From then one had fantasised about having his own child person to care for. He had bought the cabin ensuring it wasn't in his name and there was nothing to connect him to it. He had had begun to set the cabin up ready for if he should ever get his wish.  
'Now I do have someone to take care of. He's so innocent almost child like.' He took charlie to the carefully designed child's room he had painted in powder green. He'd covered the carpet in fluffy alogenic rugs depicting smiley faces. Clean white furniture was adorned with toys. He placed Charlie on the bed and pulled the butterfly covered blanket over him. The math genius was curled up but looked uncomfortable in his tweed suit and shirt. Without thinking about it Ian went to the closet and got out a red pj set with planes on and a fleecy pair of socks with great care he undressed his charge and tenderly dressed him in the soft pyjamas, rolling the socks onto his feet. Seeing his charge now content Ian had no doubt now that he had done the right thing. He carefully He had always had a soft spot for his professor. The way he had boldly challenged him in their first meeting, the enthusiasm but most of all the innocence. Charlie believed the best of people and when he looked at Ian he didn't see a dangerous sniper animal he saw a friend albeit one who was getting between him and his plan to get back in with his brother. After Sibly though his intention to continue getting to know the professor had been cut short when he arrived at Calsci and saw a love struck colleague of Charlie's fawning all over him. Ian felt he couldn't compare, not with this beautiful young woman who could stay by his side and could follow the man's voodoo language. He had backed away a decision he had often regretted.  
Now he had to find out who had hurt his Charlie and make them pay, maybe he'd bring them up to the cabin. Gag them in his firing range and use them as target practice. He knew how to avoid vital organs. If he left enough time the person would get infected too. Ian took his dark thoughts out of Charlie's room they had no place there. He wondered what to do with the tweed suit. He didn't want to keep it and didn't think his professor would be that attached to it either. He decided he would put it in a bag out of sight. He grabbed a plastic bag and began stuffing the suit into it when Charlie's phone dropped out of a pocket to the floor. Ian picked it up cautiously aware that this device could be used to trace his boy, that it could hold clues at to who had hurt him, that it could be a step too far if he destroyed it cutting off his boy from those who honestly loved and wanted to protect him. So many thoughts and options entered his mind but he had never been a rash person, he weighed his options and the consequences before making a decision. He had collected many skills from his military and covert days including knowledge about phone tracing. Always prepared he went to his office and found a piece of tech he had copied from observed plans. He inserted the phone and turned it on certain that it could no longer be traced. Aware that he may be intruding into his boy's private life he scrolled through text messages ready to draw back if he saw something personal. The text however were nothing but demands for results and algorithms some at ridiculous times of the day. He moved on to look at the voice-mails and found it almost full. The majority were from his boy's family and brother's team but some were from people labelled CIA ass hole, ATF jerk, DEA dumbass and such. He played them first and found his temper rising as he listed to the ungrateful bastards demand and downright bullied his boy for results. They should be grateful his boy gave them the time of day let alone be helping them do their job. He moved on to the messages from Amita only to find her attitude just as bad if not worse. The jealousy of Charlie's genius he had seen glimpses of before were now more pronounced and it seems she had discovered Charlie's wealth. Her last message though made her a suspect. She talked about Charly having forgotten his credit card and how he wouldnt want what happened after to happen again. Alan he hoped would be better but to his dismay the old man just complained is boy not taking responsibility and how he an adult with obligations, and a fiance to tend to. As if the old understood his boy. The pressures he was under and as for his so called fiance didn't she have any obligations to tend for him. Even Don was apologizing for something and that boss Mildred spoke to his boy with such disrespect. Did no one see how tired and unhappy his boy was how sick and overworked he was. They didn't deserve him. He would take proper care of his little one. Ian tucked the phone away in a drawer and went back to Charlie. His sweet boy was curled up and had a strained sad look to his face before he could reach his side his hand reached out and started kept patting the bed beside him. For an awful heart dropping moment he Ian thought he was looking for that woman.  
"Wolfy." Came the soft whimper.  
His sweet boy was looking for his soft toy. Ian looked along the shelves of stuffed animals but he had a wolf. Soft grey white that was gently stuffed to hold the shape but slightly floppy perfect size for his boy to hug.  
Here here is Wolfie. Ian plays the wolf in to the searching hand which quickly brought the toy to his chest. Calm overcame his features and he began breathe deeply. That's right my boy I'll take good of you. Ian left to the kitchen and started to prepare a warm milk, he added vitamin mix to it sure that his boy had not been eating properly and that he need the added strength to fight the sickness. With care the warm milk a freshly washed bottle. After checking the temperature against his wrist he took the bottle to his boy. His sweetling was still one arm around the toy wolf his other hand up to his face with his pointing finger against his lips. Ian sat on the edge of the bed and tucked his arm under his boy. Cradling his head the nipple of the bottle against his sweetling's lips. Instinct won and his it's opened and the most adorable little snorts escaped as his sweetling sucked the warm milk. No one could accuse ian Edgerton of being a softy but piglet noises from his boy were melting. Once the bottle was finished he leaned his boy up against him rubbed he is back. There was a soft of complaint before a series of short burps escaped. He was sure there would be no tummy upset he made his sweetling back down and wiped the small amount of drool and milk that had escaped. His sweetling curled up more around the wolf and was soon breathing deeply in restful sleep. Ian pick up a baby monitor and set it on the nightstand then click the other to his belt. He lent down and kissed his sweetling on the head. His boy smiled a little then his face relaxed once more. Ian silently closed the bedroom door and set to work putting things away and sorting a routine of medicines and feedings. 

The cabin was cold, he couldn't have his boy freezing especially as he was sick. Glad of his foresight Ian had taken the time to install a floor heater that used water from the boiler situated behind the central fireplace. A massive cobblestone pillar that stood at the corners off Charlie's room, Ian's room, and the large room that acted as both kitchen and living room. For excersize and vent his frustrations he'd chopped plenty of wood and a huge pile was set against the kitchen wall stood ready to be used. Something he was glad for as he didn't want to risk waking his sweetling or not being able to hear the monitor. He piled the wood holder then started a blazing fire. His sweetling didn't stir and apart from the odd cough or piglet noises when fed, his boy was a picture of peaceful slumber. Ian had never needed much sleep but he did need some, so at 3:48 he allowed himself to stop watching over his boy and sleep in his own room.  
Four hours later Ian woke feeling calmer, not quite his legendary zen but less manic than he had the day before. With his head clearer the reality of what he'd done crashed into him. He had essetially kidnapped a high level consultant. Granted it had been for the right reasons and he'd die before he let any harm come to his boy, he had still abducted a person without their consent. Thoughts first came of how the professor's family must be so worried but this was soon blocked out by memories of the red mark on his boy's face and all the messages on the phone. The didn't deserve his boy. Ian knew that the line between right and wrong, good and evil was a vast ocean of grey but even so Ian had always felt sure of what to do. He couldnt keep his boy here forever and certainly not if he didnt want to but niether could he just return his boy to whoever had hurt him. He picked up Charlie's phone and found more messages waiting. Any thought of taking his boy straight back died as he listened not to concerned voices but angry, impatient, demanding, and disrespectful. No his boy was staying with him.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi I appologise if the next chapter is a bit slow I'm dealing with health issues actually wrote a bit twice without realising so I'm also sorry if there are mistakes. Hope you enjoy and if anyone feels like betaing I'd love to hear from you.


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